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Introduction to Linux - A Hands on Guide

This guide was created as an overview of the Linux Operating System, geared toward new users as an exploration tour and getting started guide, with exercises at the end of each chapter.
For more advanced trainees it can be a desktop reference, and a collection of the base knowledge needed to proceed with system and network administration. This book contains many real life examples derived from the author's experience as a Linux system and network administrator, trainer and consultant. They hope these examples will help you to get a better understanding of the Linux system and that you feel encouraged to try out things on your own.

Hi guys, I'm a 2 week old linux person.....I'm using mandrake 10 and things are running quite smoothly now(after 2 weeks of hair pulling.) I'm used to using sygate firewall on a windows pc, pretty much it pops up when something tries to access the net you say yes or no and it creates rules etc based on the options you select.

Now i know this is not the case with linux, and i have no issue with having to manually set things up and i do know a bit about networking.

I guess i just need some general info on what i should be looking for, what sort of "phrases" i should google for. Ideally i just want to block everything, and create rules based on what programs/ports i want to open as i need them.

So just some general advice to point me in the right direction of what i should be looking for would be good

If you really want to know what your pc is doing, setting up IPTables using scripts/manual editing is by far the best way to go. Hard work, but worth it...

And if you know your way around a network it shouldn't take you that long, just google a lot, and take a look at all the examples here in the forum. Best to go for a "block-all-then-allow" policy as you say, and don't open anything you don't need.

Webmin is good for editing settings, but you should still familiarize yourself with the scripts and how IPTables handles them.

Also, while editing firewalls, it is quite easy to lock yourself out using ssh or web-GUI, so local access is always nice...